Ice and fire
by The Queen of Song
Summary: "uh what is your name again?" She smiled at Emlynne clumsily behavior, there was something about the old women that she couldn't help find adorable. "I . . . I do not have a name" "No name? But everyone has a name!"


She knew this was a long journey, she didn't know it was going to be this long or this hard. Lorraine Michelson was her name, or at least had been. It seemed so long ago since she been called that, so long she didn't believe she was Lorraine Michelson anymore. So who was she now? She didn't know, perhaps she is to be called wanderer or nomad for it is all she ever does and all she will ever allow herself to be.

'_Stick to darkness, no one will bother you there_' she thought to herself as she walked on.

Ever since her ability manifested her life had been difficult. And if one thing was true about her is that she does not like difficult things, yet it is all she knows now. Life wasn't always so cruel to her, she was a perfectly normal girl who went to a normal high school, had a normal household and normal friends. Normal. She can never be normal anymore. The darkness had found her, barely even seventeen when it had captured her. It had frightened her at first when she realized what she could do, it started when she discovered she could disappear within shadows, travel in them, talk to them. Her parents had believed her to be crazy, she thought she was crazy, but she wasn't, she was a mutant.

Her heart broke, her life shattered, her family destroyed. God her family, even they had suffered, Her father was a hard man who believed in the old ways and raised his family as such, mutants were different, they were dangerous, _freaks_. Her father couldn't see her any other way and to his great disappear sent her away. But her mother, her sweet loving mother, she always understood. Her mother stood up for her. '_I gave birth to you, a mutant, a strong women_' her mother told her that faithful night but she knew she couldn't stay there anymore so she packed her bags and left to . . nowhere. She walked north and north till her feet went numb and yet her journey had just begun.

What was wrong with her? Why could she do these things? Why do the shadows call her? Why does she accept them? So many questions, like they were the metal and she was the magnet. And as the years went by she got no answers, but instead excepted what she could do, learn from it and have evolve with her instead of hiding it away.

Why should she hide what she could do anyway? It helps keep her safe, no one goes in the darkness, no one but her and she liked it that way. And everyday form that realization she practiced her ability, she started to pull the shadow to her instead of have the shadows pull her to them, and everyday they went farther and farther till one day she could fill a whole room with utter blackness, a place were she could see and thrive. It was challenging yet she come to love the challenge.

'_Nothing burns like the cold_' she thought when a she started to become numb by the night.

And there, she spotted her savior from the night that blazed with ice of fire, was an inn sinning brighter than the moon. Quickening her steps she rushed towards the inn. The inn was small, but had a familiar warmth of hospitality that she could help the sigh of content that escaped her lips.

"Oh! I'll be with you in a minute!" a muffled yell cried from behind a door of polished wood.

Curious, she followed the voice that hid behind the door only to reveal an older women struggling to balance herself on a chair . . . that was on top of table. _'What was she doing!' _Rushing to the old women aid "Miss this is far to dangerous! Please you must come down." she cried.

"Oh nonsense dear, I'm only replacing this light bulb" It was then when she noticed the small chandler that was centered in the middle of the room did she shake her head disapproval.

"With all do respect Miss, but allow me to exchange you light bulb, we would want you hurting yourself for you are . . well you're umm . . "

"Old"

"Delicate!"

"Well I suppose, here but be careful light bulbs are expensive" As the women handed her the light bulb, she tried to ignore the fact the women was a bit rude about it, climbing the tabled and on to the chair with ease she carefully attached the light bulb.

"There, all good as new! Miss . . .?" she exclaimed while climbing down.

"Emlynne Washington is the name !" It was then she got a good look at the women, she was a pretty old thing, with kind eyes beneath glasses a bit large for her face while her body was draped in old-fashioned robes, but it was her smile that was her best feature, a warm welcoming smile that's probably was the reason this inn was as lovely as it was.

"Oh! I have been most terrible rude, the night is so cold and yet I have not giving you a cup of tea or a bed to rest in!" the women cried.

"Its alright, but a cup of tea sounds great right about now"

"Yes, yes of course! One cup of tea coming right up . . . uh what is your name again?" She smiled at Emlynne clumsily behavior, there was something about the old women that she couldn't help find adorable.

"I . . . I do not have a name"

"No name? But everyone has a name!"

"I was once a girl named Lorraine but that is the past and it is not who I am anymore"

"Well if that's the case we just have to give you a new name"

"A new name?"

"Yes a new name! We can not have you walking around nameless now can we"

"But will I call myself?"

"Well that's the tricky part, but do not worry I will help you!"

"You will? How can you?"

"By getting to know you, please tell me about yourself"

"I wouldn't know were to start . . "

"Isn't it obvious! The beginning"

And so for the first time she told her tale, it was difficult at first so much that she didn't even want to continue, but Emlynne wouldn't have any of it, '_stubborn has a mule that old women.'_ she thought but continued none the less. And after a while she couldn't stop, she poured her heart and soul to a women she barely met, there were tears and laughs of the memories and wounds she opened to tell this tale. She talked of her mothers love and her fathers grief, she talked about the people she met on her journey, she even told her how she was a lazy brat that hated cleaning and how she never was able to rid herself of that ugly trait. But most of all she told her of the mutation and how she first was scared by it but was able to learn from it and in a bizarre way even respect its power like ice to fire and fire to ice. And Emlynne excepted it all, every bit of her flawed self. She sat there, looking at the old women waiting for her response.

"I know the perfect name to give you"

And it was the memory of Emlynne Washington warmed her heart on the long journey north.

* * *

Ever since the battle with Sebastian Shaw and Erik had ended Charles Xavier had more time to recruit more student and teachers and now he had his sights set on one person, Lorraine Michelson. He was in need of teachers and Lorraine seemed perfect for the position the only problem was she was very hard to find and his newly found handicap didn't make the search easier. True he could always have someone find her for him but he still believed that he should be the one to do it, _'No suits' _But of course he could not do this alone, a lot of the time he had Alex or Sean help him. They always made the trips entertaining, Even if they were long and tiresome.

But he was a persistent man and after months of searching he had found her and it was thanks to an old woman from an inn

"Excuse me miss but you would happen to know a Lorraine Michelson would you, she looks like this but a bit older" He told her as he held up a picture of Lorraine, granted it was seven years old but it was the last picture she ever took, her señor year book picture. She was pretty he thought, the average american with light skin wavy born hair and light brown eyes but pretty overall. He hoped the old woman could help but he knew the reality of the situation, it would be a very unlikely she had seen Lorraine.

"I don't know of any Lorraine, but I have seen that woman before"

"Really? Great, would you mind telling me where she went to, I have been looking for her for a very long time, you see I have this school were"

"Calm down young man, all will be discussed in due time, but it is dreadfully cold today would you like a cup of tea?" she interrupted while setting a tea-pot on the stove.

And now thanks to Miss. Washington, Alex and him were standing in front of a beach were he was told he would most likely find her here, he was also told that he might have to visit this place a few times but eventually she would be here, and so he did. Alex had quickly grown tired of coming here say that she won't come, _'why would she come here anyway its deserted and not mention creepy as hell' _But he didn't know what he knew, he trusted Miss. Washington, he saw what she did and now he was certain that he made the right choice in pursuing Lorraine. She knew how to accept her mutation and perhaps she can teach others to embrace themselves. And there she was, she had her back to them, and from what he can tell she didn't notice we where there.

I looked at Alex "Be nice, we worked to hard to chase her away now. Ready?"

"As I'll ever be Professor X"

And with that they moved forward "Excuse me, but are you Lorraine Michelson?" Charles asked the mysterious women. She turned slowly, only to reveal confused brown eyes look right at his soul. In a way he was intimated by this women, he felt incredibly vulnerable under her gaze.

"It has been a very long time since I head that name"

"You're her right?" Alex asked in my silence.

She shifted her eyes to the soft waves as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, "I was, but not anymore I have a new name now"

"What is your name now?" Charles suddenly found himself asking.

She turned to fully have them as if giving them her full attention for the first time, she had a smile on her face, "Ember Snow" and it was then at that moment did he feel that she stood taller than any one he had ever encountered.

"Well Ember, why don't we go get some coffee, We've got a lot to say and I don't think you're gonna want to miss a single bit" Alex said with a flirtatious smile plastered on his face.

_'Well don't you have a way with words' _He thought in annoyance.

**The End**

and there you have it folks ! hope you liked it! And no I happen to not own X-men.


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